WEEK 5 – Predictions
VADERZ (9-3) vs SNAPPERS (5-6)
Vaderz (on a 7-game win streak) looked great in pulling off the sweep against the Lightning last week, but the Snappers were just as impressive in their series win versus the Nightowls. Vaderz defense shined, and their 3-headed monster of a rotation looked dominate last week. Snappers found their bats and the entire lineup contributed to last week’s series win. Attendance will be a talent this season. If both have their full complement, they are championship contenders. Tough call this week, but I will ride the hotter of the 2 teams. Shh…heard their may be a Ryan Murphy sighting!
VADERZ (2-1)
SANDVIPERS (9-3) vs NIGHTOWLS (5-7)
The Sandvipers, also riding a 7-game winning streak, worked over the Bombers last week in a battle of Original 5. AJ Petrovsky (2-2, 3.72 ERA) has taken hold of the #1 starter role for Adam Tanic and the Sandvipers, with McDowall (3-0, 3.13 ERA) and Tanic (3-1, 1.64 ERA) rounding out the rotation. And the lineup is leading the league in Average, Slugging and On-Base. The Nightowls got a bad split with the Snappers last week, winning game 1, 12-11. Levi Lawrence went the distance there using up a lot of innings. The Nightowl bats cooled down and the pitching did too. The Nightowls would like the pitching to be more consistent. The lineup and defense are improving. I like the Sandvipers here, better in all 3 phases of the game at this point of the season. Nightowls avoid the sweep though.
SANDVIPERS (2-1)
LEGENDS (6-6) vs LIGHTNING (9-3)
Both teams had a rough week in Week 4. The Legends were without some key pieces dropped a series to the Ones and the Lightning had a mini-implosion in getting swept against the Vaderz. Attendance may be the key to this series. If the Legends have it a series win is a possibility, if they do not, well it could be a rough Saturday night. Lightning should rebound, led by Hallead, Spurrier, Huson and Purdy. Who will step up at the bottom of that lineup? Don’t know if Dalbey shows but may not matter. Unfortunately, I like the Lightning to rebound here. Provided they do not bat out of order again!?! Legends avoid the sweep.
LIGHTNING (2-1)
CAJUNS (6-6) vs. ONES (4-8)
Well, that did not take long. The Cajuns’ demise was short lived as they swept the Pharaohs and evened their record at 6-6, climbing out of the bottom half of the standings. The pitching is as formidable as ever, led by Ledet and Ruesch. And Runnalls has been getting on base at the top of the lineup in front of those run producers. The Ones rode the bat of Adrian Gutierrez and his 3 HR’s and the arms PLW veteran James Stein and rookie James Ogburn, to take a series against the Legends and climb out of the PLW cellar. It will be a tall task this week for the Ones against the reigning champs. I like the Cajuns here. Too much pitching and defense. AK should be back in the lineup, but no Stein. And the bottom of that Ones lineup is still looking for answers.
CAJUNS (2-1)
PHARAOHS (3-9) vs. BOMBERS (4-8)
The Pharaohs suffered their first series sweep last week, thanks to the Cajuns. But I called that game, and the lack of a credible 6th fielder/hitter (sorry Tera) cost them at least 5 runs in their series. Attendance is a talent this season and the Pharaohs are lacking in that category in the early stages of this season. Bombers also suffered a sweep, theirs courtesy of the Sandvipers. The offense struggled to string together hits with only 11 hits total in the 3-game series and 0 HR’s. That is not the Bombers we know and love. The rotation has been fine, and defense remains solid. Look for the Bomber bats to pick it up here, but the Pharaohs put up a fight with more than 6 players!
BOMBERS (2-1)
